Saturday trail run 3/5/16 - La Bajada hill and Caja del Rio trail

[alia176]

Local wheeling group posted this up on FB, I'm hoping to make it. It's a been a while since I've run these two trails.

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We will travel the La Bajada hill and the Caja del Rio trail on March 5th. We will meet at the Phillips 66 gas station on HWY 22, exit 259 on I-25. You will need to be there around 8:30am, because we will leave promptly at 9am. We will be out on the trail all day. Please plan accordingly, i.e. lunch, water, fuel and warm weather gear.

This trail ride will start at the Phillips 66 on Hwy-22, exit 259, Santo Domingo Pueblo, NM 87052 and end in Santa Fe. There are spots that a sock 4x4 may drag and hit the under carriage and there will be long stretches of trail where we will not be taking a break

 

[Dumpolina]

I didn't know this was still accessible... haven't been there in probably 20 years!
What group is organizing? I don't do the facebook thang

 

[alia176]

I didn't know this was still accessible... haven't been there in probably 20 years!
What group is organizing? I don't do the facebook thang

It's a FB 4x4 group with mixed rigs who tries to do a monthly run. I'm curious where you can wheel on Caja del Rio trail these days. The Tank Trap trail was a good one but it's closed now.

 

[Desert100]

I just did this trip on Feb 13 with 15 other vehicles, mostly Jeeps. Up the La Bajada hill (we took the right hand route which some believed was no longer passable), across the plateau to the Blow Hole (35.69924N, 106.15504W) and then exiting on the W side of Santa Fe.

The top of La Bajada was rocky, and we encountered enough muddy slopes in the Blow Hole area that a couple of people had to be pulled out. Otherwise it was all dry and dusty.

Climbing the hill:

Emerging on top:

Stuck Jeep:

My LC near the Blow Hole:

Blow Hole parking:

A great day out.

 

[pappy]

What is the "blow hole?" When you say blow hole I'm thinking La Bufadora in Ensenada.

 

[Desert100]

Basically a hole in the ground (inactive). You have to walk a few hundred yards down a steep trail to get to it. When we arrived it looked like this:

 

[Desert100]

Blow Hole location:

We approached the Blow Hole via the southern part of this loop, and left the same way. I was told the northern half had a really muddy/difficult patch, but I don't know how accurate that may be:

 

[Desert100]

A friend in California sent me this interesting history of the La Bajada road. I don't know where he got it.

We went up the 1924-1932 route:

 

[alia176]

Nice historical map, thanks for posting it up.

 

[lurch]

Hmm? Might see if I can make it! Ash you going by way of La Madera RD?

 

[alia176]

Hmm? Might see if I can make it! Ash you going by way of La Madera RD?

Ayy Ayy cap'n. Probably through Puertocito near Golden, more of a straight shot then the slow Madera route.

 

[lurch]

Ayy Ayy cap'n. Probably through Puertocito near Golden, more of a straight shot then the slow Madera route.

Lol, well I've decided to study for my test this week. But next weekend possibly I could do something. Perhaps Rio Peurco or something close. Maybe even another Cabizon ride.